The Coming of King-Makers - Matthew 2:1-12

The question of who will be the king of your life is critical. That's why the implications of Jesus Christ being the creator of the world are so vast. Ladies and gentlemen, I want to stop just a moment, remind us all that the world is filled but people claiming we can.

They will inhabit the throne of their hearts, and no tell somebody today that Jesus Christ deserves to be their master and sovereign NY as they become visibly when some Persian dignitaries came to visit inquiring about the Messiah, Herod became alarmed today on wisdom for the heart. Stephen Devi begins a series entitled the myths, messengers, and mysteries of Christmas were about to look at those wise men who came from the East following a star inquiring after the whereabouts of the king Stevens calling today's lesson. The coming of kingmakers, I'm glad you joined us today and now here's Stephen day with today's lesson from God.

I believe that Christmas is a wonderful opportunity to exalt Jesus Christ in our community. I recommend we take full and jump it and we will there will be on the day before Christmas. Hundreds of people on this campus. We may not see again until Easter.

Let's take advantage of it. So make sure the music is clear and the message is clear and it exalts Jesus Christ take every advantage of the opportunity. Let them know why we celebrate and why they should to. Let's make sure we separate the myths from the message.

And there are plenty of myths even within the New Testament church as relates to this Christmas story and so much of the Christmas story is simply lost on the church because it's water down it sort of trivialize away and it spawned off on the church during the season. I want to spend the next few Sundays uncovering the scene delivering three messages along the line of the mess on the messengers and the mystery of Christmas and saw this morning I invite your attention to the gospel of Matthew. I try to find something in Romans 11 that would come fit this idea and I can find it. Matthew to verse one will probably look at this text, only today I think you will probably go to another next Lord's day, and will really only begin to skim the surface look at a few scenes here and in particular this morning. One of the most mythologized participants of the scene which are these wise men look at verse one of chapter 2 now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, where is he who has been born king of the Jews, for we saw his star in the East have come to worship him.

And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him. I'll bet they were. These were Babylonian kingmakers, the two they were. And of all the things I could have said to upset Herod and the Jewish people for different reasons. It would have been this question.

Where is he who has been born, not where is he who will be born who might be born in the future. At some point. But where is he who has been already born, and then they add this shocking title to this newborn King of the Jews. Where is the one is already been born who happens to be the king, let me cut hit the pause button and shift the camera. The second scene could be called rather tongue-in-cheek.

The apprehension of Herod. If you could reenter the scene we seen it before you read it before but kind of put on a set a new eyes here and watch Herod if you did you see at this moment, his face flushed crimson red.

He would be biting his tongue so he wouldn't say what he was thinking's was deeply troubling to the one who was called Herod the great, he was appointed by his father as prefect of Galilee. His father had been appointed by Julius Caesar itself to be the ruler over this region and the son of this man. Herod became known as Herod the great everybody knew he was king of this region. By the time you meet him in Matthew chapter 2, he is 70 years old and he has become insanely jealous of his power and his throne.

Maybe some illustrations. One of Herod's 10 wives. He had 10 wives born 12 children, one of his wives was named Miriam she had a brother. Aristotle is Aristotle's had been granted the position of high priest in Jerusalem.

By the time of Christ. The high priest was pretty much an owned position by the Roman power in Romans put the man in the place that they thought would do their bidding.

It long ceased being a spiritual office of leadership will Aristotle be less evidently had gained quite a reputation in popularity among the people, and it intimidated Herod and so Herod had him drown and then he financed a huge funeral, at which he pretended to weep after the funeral. He had his wife Miriam and her mother killed as well. In his final two years of life. His paranoia became so great that he murdered his two oldest sons considering them to be rivals to his power. So he put them to death five days before he died he executed his next eldest son determining that he would have no rival to his throne. I want to listen to a paragraph out of Josephus's works was a first century Jewish historian who gave us some insight into Herod and what it would have been like to live in this region during his reign. I quote him he did not permit the citizens either to meet together or to walk together or to eat together. He watched everything they did, exhorting them to always be working. He had spies everywhere.

He would often put on the closing of an ordinary citizen and mix among the multitude asking them what do you think about Herod if they answered with criticism, they would be arrested and punished severely or even brought to the Citadel of Artemio both openly and secretly and there be put to death. One of the last things that Herod the great did before he died was in prison many distinguished Jewish citizens from Jerusalem and he commanded his guard that upon the moment of his death. They were to execute these citizens so that there would be morning in Jerusalem lamenting and weeping even though he knew it would be for him. He just wanted to make sure at his death. There would be weeping in the city now. From everything I was able to research, it seems that this order was never carried out. I want you to know one more thing about him as an older man he had gained favor with the Roman Emperor to the point where he solicited them without request of his that he had carried for years, and the Roman Senate granted him his wish and they gave him his wish, and it was the title King of the Jews. He was the king of the Jews. That was his title. This was his throne that you need to understand that it was during this two-year period when Herod was killing every threat to his throne that a group of Babylonian dignitaries arrived and said where is he who has been born the King of the Jews that completely stunned him and turned his world.

The text tells us when he heard in verse three, he was troubled. The word means agitated.

He was visibly shaken, somebody would tear take his title he had killed people for much less than that, ladies and gentlemen, I want to stop just a moment to remind us all that the world is filled with Herod's not in so far as going around murdering people.

Though there are those as well, but people claiming to be king. They will inhabit the throne of their hearts, and no other nobody has a right to interfere with their career and their position and their power and their ambition and their plans and their lifestyles. They are not about to let anybody else be king in their lives. Tell somebody today that Jesus Christ deserves to be their Master and sovereign and watch as they become visibly shaken. Suggest to someone that they should bow to the sovereignty of Christ reign over their life and watch their faces flush red and they bite their tongues so they don't say to you what they want to say and sometimes they still go ahead and say I don't need saving. I don't need a king. I am as it were, the master of my fate and no misunderstandings may be very good people. Christ might be okay for little Christmas caroling once a year but is best left in the manger or on the cross. Religion is comfortable with him in either one of those two places, but don't talk about the sovereign ascended Lord don't talk about his right to our priorities and our plans and our morals and our lifestyles, you're really doing my Christmas spirit with that kind Jesus Christ works for me. It Christmas Eve party but I won't be inviting him to my New Year's Eve party.

Let's just leave them in the manger showing Herod of course took it physically to the extent that he would seek to exterminate this one and it isn't just anybody who delivered the news. Go back and look again behold verse one. The middle part magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem magi comes from the Greek word Matt Gioia in its plural form.

It gives us the word magic or magician or magistrate. The verse tells us that these men were from the east, literally translated, it says they came from the rising reference to the rising of the sun.

They were from the kingdom of the rising of this this error. It would've been the kingdom of the Babylonians and the Persian nomad. He doesn't tell us hardly anything about net frustrating game so we needed to know. Fortunately got allowed some historians who lived in the first century and before to write some things down to help us get a little bit clearer picture of what these men were like Herodotus was one of them. This ancient Greek historian who informed us that these men were a special cast of highly trained men in the arts and sciences. They were the high priests they were the university professors.

They were the political movers and shakers of their world all rolled up in the one they were the leaders of the Persian religion, which by the way, was still in full force. When Jesus Christ was born. Their religion was called Zoroastrianism. I know it sounds a little bit like the worship of Zorro everybody wearing black mask and carrying sort. Actually, the priest wore white robes and tall hats with flaps that covered their ears much like the picture you might have a wizard. The principal element in the worship was fire. They had an altar in their capital with the fire they kept burning. They believe that originally came down from heaven. They practiced animal sacrifice, they believed in only one God. They were monotheists.

The name of their God. As I mentioned earlier was Mazda historians also tell us that no Persian was ever able to become king without mastering the scientific and religious disciplines of the Magi literally taught and tutored by the Magi. Only then would the heir to the Persian or Babylonian throne be approved and crowned literally by the Magi.

That's why the Magi were known as the kingmakers everybody knew that. And so did Harriet. And here they arrive, the kingmakers saying where's the king we know is been born. He's the king of the Jews by the way, Matthew doesn't tell us how many Magi arrived.

Church tradition originally said there were 12 but the number was later reduced to three.

We don't know why public is you can get 12 Wiseman into a Christmas play perhaps, but it was reduced down to three. During the Middle Ages the number of wise men were the reduced their traditions and the myths about the more expanded church later claimed in the Middle Ages that these three men were named Gaspar Melchior and Balthazar.

They were representatives of the three sons of Noah. Suppose a leader's goals were miraculously preserved, discovered in the 12th century by the Bishop of Cologne great Cathedral of Cologne today even still exhibits the skulls encased in jewel studded glass encasement.

The question remains though from the plain text of Scripture. Why make a trip across continent, a journey that would take at least a year if not more wind in the Magi assume when they arrived in Jerusalem the textiles as they began to ask they did go to Herod in the original, yes, they asked the people they show not where's the king why would they assume everyone would know. Why would they be willing to slip in the front door of Israel and then slip out the back door back into oblivion. And most importantly, why would they be interested in a Jewish Messiah. These Gentile kingmakers will begin to answer this question just to travel back several centuries before this time to a time when the Jews were taken captive by this kingdom came from the rising of the sun among those deported Jews were young men with conviction who traveled back they would be trained by the Magi in their university, you know, several of them by name. The most prominent was to Daniel and his friend Shedrick Misha Daniel had such a profound effect on Nebuchadnezzar in the Babylonian empire that he promoted Daniel to be the chief leader of the Magi Daniel chapter 2 verse 48 so powerful and so respected was he that when Darius conquered Nebuchadnezzar's son and Persia overwhelm Babylon the Darius just retained the leadership of Daniel. You probably remember the story where the other political leaders of that Persian king and then like the idea and so they concocted a plot to ultimately throw Daniel to the Lions. Remember, you want to know that the Magi had nothing to do with that plot, only the political leaders it would be 70 years of godly influence by the life and obviously the teaching of Daniel that would not only bring two kings to trust in Yahweh, but many of the Magi as well and were reading here in Matthew two about the descendents of the original Magi converts to the teaching of Scripture. What did they mean in Matthew chapter 2 verse two, we have seen his star in the East and have come to worship him will first of all this would tell us that when the Magi arrived, they were already believers.

They already prepared to worship him. That's why they've come.

They thought they were going to join the celebration.

The king has been more they were ready they already believe. Then the messianic prophetic Scripture.

They knew the Messiah had been born. In fact, as soon as Herod had the chance of you look at verse four.

He asks where the Messiah has been born in the Magi, then effects that we've come to worship the Christ that is the Messiah.

So here they are descendents of Daniel's original converts prompted to begin a journey that would take them more than a year to accomplish, and you need to rewrite in your mind in the picture. This is not a Tyumen. This is a large impressive imposing caravan with servants to cook and clean the servants to watch the herds that would be used for food along the journey, a large division of Royal soldiers to protect them as they journey through foreign kingdoms. The soldiers also protecting the tariffs and also the gifts the Magi had with them. These were Persian dignitaries and their entourage who were renowned for their power and their privilege in a long line of Gentiles that stretched all the way back to their leading Magi Daniel there still another question effect on not answering half of the memory you to study ahead on your own. But I'll give you another one and try to answer this one.

Why would an astral sign prompt their journey. How would they connect us.*With the Messiah. Daniel evidently and we know that other deported Jews had with them copies of the Torah, the books of Moses the law he and no doubt others living in captivity evidently taught them because these men knew of the coming Messiah, and I just pulled one verse out. Maybe two. Listen to this one from Numbers 24 this is the Oracle of him who hears the words of God and knows the knowledge of the most high, who sees the vision of the Almighty. I see him, but not now. I behold him, but not near a star shall come forth from Jacob and a scepter shall rise from Israel.

See, here's an Old Testament passage that links the Messiah with the rising star. Perhaps Daniel had at his disposal.

The prophet Isaiah's writing that it said years earlier, arise shine, for your light has come in the glory of the Lord has risen upon you the nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising Isaiah 61 to 4 same expression same idea of a star rising in brightness. Remember in Revelation chapter 22 verse 16 Jesus is referred to as what is referred to as the bright and morning what star you understand that the Magi didn't just see a star like you would look up in the sky and see stars.

This is a reference to this bright and morning this when the comet when the meteor when alignment plans.

This is a messianic sign. It was a starlike brilliance. In fact, the light of God's presence is Shekinah glory. The Greek word in Matthew chapter 2 for star can be translated brilliance. They saw the brilliance in the heavens. By the way this has been around for some time. This light indicted the people of Israel as a journey to the wilderness. In Exodus 13. This was the light that caused the face of Moses to glow after meeting with God in his glory. Exodus 34 this was that heavenly brilliance that knocks Saul off his horse and asked chapter 9 verse three and blinded him. This was the vision of John the apostle as he saw the light of Christ's face shining like the sun in Revelation chapter 1 verse steam. This was the same light that appeared to these Persian Magi and literally lead them how to explain that it seemed to disappear when they arrived in Jerusalem. How do you explain that it suddenly seemed to reappear after they left Herod's palace and, more importantly, how do you explain it literally standing over shining on just the one house where the child will stay only one way they were being led by the Shekinah glory of God's light and it also seems to imply in the text.

They were the only ones who saw which leads me to wonder some more things. Why would God bother with Eastern Magi. What's so important about Persians coming bearing gifts. Well, I could try to answer that one. I agree with one author who suggested this revealed the birth of Jesus had worldwide impact and influence. It also implied that even though Jesus was born of Jewish kin. His birth was a gift to all the Gentile nations and unfortunately it was an illustration that when he did come when he was born and throughout his life.

The Jews would reject Gentiles would embrace Jewish leaders who told Herod here in verse five and six. Where the Messiah was to be born didn't care to even walk 5 miles to go check it out for themselves. Can you imagine that apathy in your Gentiles will travel across the continent and you notice in verse six that when Herod says okay where's the Messiah to be born even care that is the Messiah, he just knows the man will have his title and the scribes and the religious leaders don't even have to look at how they got the prophecy of Micah memorize where we know that is going to be born in Bethlehem. You would think they begin running their they had the Scriptures and they knew the Scriptures, but they didn't care for the Savior wisemen on the other hand, travel a great distance Persian was located in modern-day Iran. They travel to the country of Iran and in and through the vast country of Iraq and down into Palestine.

It took them probably weeks, perhaps months to prepare months to travel as much as a year to make it there and now they arrived and now you can understand when they arrived with their entourage troubled all of Jerusalem. You need to know as well. According to verse 11. Look over there very quickly. When they arrived, what is it say they came into the what they came into the house and saw the child with Mary that income to stable or lean to Torah cave nearby. The end or even the outer courtyard.

Those are all ideas postulated about this and they didn't go to any of those they came to a house and they saw the child not upgrade Foss the Greek word for baby but it was the Greek word tidy on for teachable or learning child.

By the time the Magi had arrived. Jesus is anywhere from 1 to 2 years of age. Verse 11 when they enter the home.

They saw the child with Mary his mother and they fell down and worshiped him expression that the Magi fell down is that Oriental customer they had their knees endowed with their four heads, and they stretch out their arms and they kissed the ground and they kissed his feet and they kissed his garments. Can you imagine here's a little Jesus probably holding onto his mother's down just having learned to walk wide-eyed receiving worship from these Gentile kingmakers what is seen, and they brought gifts, gifts that had no use for the rearing of a little one, but gifts that were highly significant. They gave him goal. This was the gift for Kings gold for the one who would be heir to the throne of David and that gold would come in wonderfully well because when they escaped and lived in Egypt. Joseph and Marion this little boy they would have the money to survive. They gave him Frank and since this is a gum from the Boswell a tree. It was used in our Old Testament Scriptures many times by the priests and their priestly service. Frankincense is for the high priest who will intercede on our behalf is not only the royal one who has the right to the throne of David, but he is our high priest. Then I gave them the strangest of gifts, murder was taken. This gum from the small thorny bush gum from its sap would be mixed with wine to serve as narcotic to deaden the pain would be offered to Jesus when he was on the cross and he would refuse it. It was the substance that would be used in embalming a lifeless body. They gave him murder signifying the suffering of Christ, signifying, perhaps even a his crown of thorns. The one would suffer on the cross, the one who would be wrapped with this gummy substance in the two. These were gifts for the King of Kings for the high priest and the suffering Savior highly sick. Having these few verses three ongoing responses to the Savior to even though cultures change in clothing changes in methods of travel and lifestyles change from the first century to the 21st century. You have the same response you have anger at the thought of this sovereign Herod you have apathy from the religious world you have adoration you have those who hate him. Those who ignore him. Those who love Val before this one is Christ well I certainly hope it's that last category that reflects you here it was for the heart. We always enjoy hearing from those who listen to the broadcast.

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